Actinidia chinensis plant named ‘W47’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Actinidia chinensis  cultivar named ‘W47’ is disclosed, characterized by having distinctive yellow flesh fruit, and a very late seasonal harvest time in New Zealand. Additionally, the new variety produces fruit with very soft, downy pubescence and with a distinctive blunt, slightly protruding stylar end shape and square shoulders. The new variety is suitable for commercial production of kiwi fruit.

Latin name of the genus and species: Actinidia chinensis.

Variety denomination: ‘W47’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program begun in1975 under the direction of the inventor, Donald Alfred Skelton, acitizen of New Zealand. The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietaryseedling variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘R5’ The pollenparent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to asActinidia chinensis ‘RY.’

Fruit of the new variety was first evaluated in 2001 with favorableresults. After the first evaluation, semi-hardwood cuttings were made of‘W47’ and were grafted onto 5 seedling rootstocks 3; of A. chinensis and2 of A. deliciosa. Evaluation, asexual propagation and grafting allfirst took place at the inventor's commercial nursery in Rangiriri, NewZealand. Subsequent evaluations of the variety have shown thecharacteristics to be true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘W47’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘W47’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘W47’ as a new and distinct Actinidia chinensiscultivar:

-   -   1. Distinctive yellow flesh fruit.    -   2. Very late season harvest during May under New Zealand        conditions.    -   3. Very soft, downy pubescence on fruit.    -   4. Ovoid fruit shape.    -   5. Fruit with a distinctive square shoulders.    -   6. Moderate adherence of skin to the fruit.

COMPARISON TO PARENT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘W47’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Actinidia chinensis ‘R5’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘W47’ produce fruit several weeksearlier than ‘R5’. Additionally, ‘W47’ produces larger fruit than ‘R5’.Average fruit size of ‘W47’ is 105 grams compared to 75 gram fruit from‘R5’.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘W47’ are similar to plants of the maleparent, Actinidia chinensis ‘RY’ in some horticultural characteristics.However, as the sex expression of ‘RY’ is male, plants of ‘RY’ produceonly male flowers, whereas the sex expression of ‘W47’ is female, andplants produce female flowers that in turn develop into large fruit.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new variety is best compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hort16A,’U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,066. ‘W47’ is similar to ‘Hort16A’ in manyhorticultural characteristics, however, ‘W47’ produces mature fruitlater in the season than ‘Hort16A.’ Additionally, fruit of the newvariety ‘W47’ are distinctively blunt, with only slight protusion on thestylar end, compared to the strong pointed stylar end shape of‘Hort16A.’ Fruit shape differences can also be noted in the shouldershape. Whereas ‘W47’ produces fruit with strongly squared shoulder,‘Hort16A’ fruit have rounded shoulders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color typicalfoliage, hanging fruit and stems on plants of ‘W47.’

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color typical flowers of ‘W47.’

FIG. 3 shows examples of typical fruit harvested from ‘W47.’ Allphotographs are taken of plants approximately 9 years old. Thephotographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘W47’ plants grown outdoors under commercialtrial conditions in Rangiriri New Zealand. The growing temperatureranged from 10° C. to 30° C. during the day and −4° C. to 18° C. atnight. Annual rainfall is approximately 125 cm per year. Measurementsand numerical values represent an average of 10 typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Actinidia chinensis ‘W47.’

PROPAGATION ‘W47’ can be successfully grafted onto rootstocks ofActnidia chinensis or Actinidia deliciosa. PLANT

-   -   -   Age of the plant described.—Approximately 9 years.        -   Sex expression.—Female.        -   Ploidy.—Diploid.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.        -   Young shoot color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.        -   Young shoot texture.—Smooth, non-pubescent and no visible            lenticels.        -   Stem diameter.—Average 1.5 cm.        -   Stem texture.—Rough.        -   Trunk diameter.—Average 12 cm on a 11 year old plant.        -   Stem lenticels.—Irregularly spaced and sized. Oblong in            shape, color near RHS Grey-Green 191 A.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Average length.—18 cm.        -   Average width.—18.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Very broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Margin.—Ciliate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Slightly puckered. Non-pubescent.        -   Texture of under side.—Non-pubescent.        -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green N138A.            Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Average length 12.5 cm. Pubescence: None.            Color: Upper Surface near RHS Red 39B, lower surface near            Orange-Red 31D.

FLOWER

-   -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—Normally 1, occasionally 3.        -   Bud color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Bud break.—End of August.        -   First flower.—Early October.        -   Diameter.—Average 6 cm.        -   Petal quantity.—6 to 10 per flower.        -   Petals overlapping.—Yes.        -   Color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Anther color.—Near RHS Greyed-Orange 163D.        -   Attitude of styles.—Semi-erect.        -   Style color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Style quantity.—Average 18.        -   Hair on ovary.—Dense.        -   Color of ovary.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Number of sepals.—6 to 10.        -   Color of sepals.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Sepal width.—Approximately 1 cm.        -   Sepal length.—Approximately 1.3 cm.        -   Sepal texture.—Smooth.

-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 6.6 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Texture.—Smooth.

FRUIT

-   -   -   Color outer pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 3C.        -   Color inner pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 3A.        -   Core color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Brix at consumption.—18.0.        -   Brix at harvest.—7.50%.        -   Average weight.—105 grams.        -   Minimum weight.—91 grams.        -   Maximum weight.—124 grams.        -   Length.—Avg. 7.6 cm.        -   Width.—Avg. 6.4 cm.        -   Core diameter (maximum).—2.6 cm.        -   Core diameter (minimum).—1.0 cm.        -   Locule number.—38.        -   Fruit peduncle length.—6.6 cm.        -   Fruit peduncle width.—6.4 cm.        -   General shape.—Ovoid.        -   Median cross section.—Circular.        -   Stylar end shape.—Slightly blunt protruding.        -   Shoulder shape.—Squared.        -   Calyx ring.—Present.        -   Calyx ring expression.—Strong.        -   Skin color at harvest.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 153B.        -   Hair on fruit skin.—Downy.        -   Hair adherence to skin.—Moderate.        -   Skin adherence to flesh at maturity.—Moderate.        -   Fruit core shape.—Transversely elliptic.        -   Core-woody spike.—Small.        -   Lenticels on fruit.—Minute, moderate in quantity, colored            near RHS Yellow-Green 153A.        -   Mature seed color.—Black.        -   Dried seed.—Brown.        -   Harvest time.—Early May in New Zealand.        -   Overall cropping quantity.—30 to 50 tons per hectare.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Storage life.—Storage life is a minimum of 3 months at 2° C.-   Disease/pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    pathogens and pests common to Actinidia chinensis have been    observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates low temperatures to approximately    −5° C. without negative effects, tolerates high temperatures to    approximately 35° C. without negative effects.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Actinidia chinensis plant named ‘W47’as herein illustrated and described.